When was Army Group E formed and which territories did it cover?
Army Group E emerged on the 1st of January 1943 from the ashes of the 12th Army. This command structure spread its reach across Albania, Greece, Serbia, and Croatia.
Questions about Army Group E
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What major massacres occurred under Army Group E during World War II?
German troops engaged in brutal counter-insurgency campaigns that included the massacres at Kalavryta and Distomo in Greece. September 1943 brought the Cephallonia Massacre where over 5,000 Italian prisoners died after German disarmament orders.
How did Army Group E withdraw from the Balkans in 1944?
Summer 1944 saw fighting in Romania turn into a decisive German defeat prompting an immediate withdrawal from Greek islands and mainland territories. The unit moved through southwestern Serbia and northern Montenegro before reaching Croatia while facing partisan attacks throughout the journey.
Who commanded Army Group E when it surrendered to British forces in May 1945?
Colonel General Alexander Löhr tried to hold the Independent State of Croatia against advancing People's Liberation Army forces until the end of the war. Units managed to escape to Austria until the 15th of May when capture rates increased dramatically and one hundred fifty thousand German soldiers fell into Tito's hands.
What happened to Croatian forces who fled with Army Group E to Austria in 1945?
Two hundred twenty thousand members of Croatian forces fled to Austria alongside Army Group E in May 1945 only to be extradited back to Tito partisans by British authorities. Several thousand of them died in what became known as the Bleiburg Massacre shortly after the formal surrender of Axis forces.